Diet, Nutrition, and Getting Lean

[TroyGuy]

Although there are plenty of lean body builders or fitness models on this site, their achievement in getting their lean bodies is not commonplace nor is the topic of getting lean while maintaining muscle mass easily covered in a few paragraphs. You say you eat clean, but you want to eat cleaner? Well, if you already eat clean, maybe the answer lies in how you eat in addition to what you eat. I will attempt to summarize my views on getting lean from my many readings on the topic and a lot of experimentation. While I have not yet achieved my weight and fat loss goal, I hope you feel that I am qualified to blog about the topic of getting lean; however, I welcome comments, other view points, or rebuttals to my viewpoints.

I believe that one’s approach to achieving a lean physique is vastly different as a teenager versus someone in their mid forties. This blog is focused on getting lean for those over forty. Also, genetics plays a large factor in fat loss. This blog is focused on assisting those that are Ecto Mesomorphs with some Endomorph characteristics. If you do not know what body type you are, you need to figure that out. I recommend the book “Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle” that well describes characteristics of the various body types and is also very good reading if you are serious about getting lean while building up muscle.

Body Types - Which One are You? The Ectomorph, the Mesomorph, the Endomorph, or a Combination?

The Ectomorph is a hard gainer, is naturally thin and does not gain fat easily, has a delicate build, is typically flat chested, joints are small, limbs are long. I believe that the Ectomorph is “carb insensitive”. That is, Ectomorphs have a tendency to use carbs efficiently as energy instead of storing or converting into fat. The most famous Ectomorph is probably Brad Pitt. Since I naturally have many of these characteristics, I have done much tweaking to my diet and exercise program to overcome the shortfalls of being an Ectomorph. But wait, before you leave this blog, because you do not have Ectomorph characteristics, stay tuned, because I will also be focusing on the Endomorph and Mesomorph side too. For brevity’s sake, the short description of the Endomorph is a soft, round body, difficult to lose weight; undeveloped muscles, gains fat easily, and is carb sensitive. The Mesomorph has an athletic build, wide shoulders, well-defined muscles, and large bones (the one that most men want).

OK, let’s get down to business. Through experimentation, with the knowledge about the various body types described above on hand (for which you now possess a summary of that knowledge) I will attempt to summarize my findings while providing a tool that you can use to conduct your own experiments on diet, nutrition, and getting lean.

Age Specific Experiments

- As we age, men begin to lose the testosterone levels and HGH they once had. These substances at their optimum levels help keep body fat down to optimum levels from the start without consideration to diet or exercise. If you do not see a nutritionist to test for these and vitamin levels (like vitamin D), you really need to. There are plenty of natural testosterone and HGH pre-cursors that can get you to the optimum level safely.
- As we age, the body tends to metabolize slower. This is where most people get confused about the term “diet”. What many people do not understand when you “diet”, is that you need to eat more frequently, not less, to keep your metabolism at its peak. While being on a diet is often referred to as calorie restriction, the definition here is focused on the “what” and “how often” and not on calorie restriction. As we age, it is more important than ever to eat 5 to 6 meals evenly spaced throughout the day (about 1 gram of protein for each pound of your lean weight per day). The frequent binging keeps the body revving and burning fat, while keeping your energy levels consistently high. This is one way to keep your metabolism high. Of course, the macro-nutrients (amount of protein, carbs, fat, & fiber) are important here. More on that later.

Body Type Specific Experiments

Ectomorphs tend to be able to eat lots of carbs or fat and not gain weight. I do not have this characteristic. I tend to have some Mesomorph characteristic here (believe it or not). That is, I have some carb sensitivity and have to pay particular attention on timing and quantity when consuming carbs. Consider the following experiments:
- Take most of your carbs in the morning and gradually lessen them for each subsequent meal throughout the day with no carbs after 5 pm. This seems to work great for me, as long as I do this in a 3 day cycle of low carb days, followed by 3 days of moderate carb days, followed by 3 high carb days. Without the cycling, my workouts tend to weaken if I stay on low carbs, and my fat level tends to increase if I stay on high carbs. The cycling seems to spare muscle tissue while reducing fat storage.
- Replace your carb energy with fat energy. Yes, this is counterintuitive that you eat fat to lose fat, but remember, you are doing this in place of carbs. That being said, I have recently been doing this and the results are shown on my latest photo Jan 15, 2011. Now the problem here for me is that my workouts have been less energized due to glycogen depletion in my muscle tissue. I also seem to be missing that fullness you want in your muscles. This approach has helped in the short run, but I’m considering abandoning the idea of low carbs for my cutting program. I am not enough of a Mesomorph to cut my carbs as much as I have.
- For each of the 5 to 6 meals, keep carbs moderate (about a palm size), protein high (at the rate mentioned above), and fiber high (veggies), with most of the carbs around the workout. Do not leave out fat. I work out in the morning, so I leave out the fat on my pre and post workout meal. I then add my fats on my other meals. For me, my biggest mistake was thinking that I would get lean by working out on an empty stomach. Could not be more wrong about that. I need to have a full meal at least 1 hour before my workout consisting of waxy maze carbs (a very fast absorbed carb you should use) to energize your workout, no fat (fat slows down protein synthesis) which you don’t want before your workout, and a serving of protein. Note, you must take vitamins and larger than normal doses of vitamins if you work out hard. If you want to replenish your glycogen stores and protein at the quickest rate possible post workout, then again, leave the fat out of your post workout meal. Although I have provided several experiments above, this is the one that seems to work for me, an Ecto Mesomorph with some Endomorph characteristics.
- Ultimately, losing fat will require caloric restrictions. Here is the part of the word “diet” that I mean calorie restriction. The question is which experiment above works best for you to keep your workouts energized. Once you figure that out, to lose fat you either need to increase your cardio, or decrease your calorie intake.
There is quite a bit more that can be said about diet, namely what to eat. However, I tried to focus on the not-so-obvious macronutrient composition of the 40+ body builder. Keep in mind that the basics are: understanding your body type and experimenting with the macro nutrients in a way that corresponds to that body type. You will then better understand your carb sensitivity and its’ affect on fat loss so that you can ultimately achieve that lean body you desire.

[ronthorn1]

Although there are plenty of lean body builders or fitness models on this site, their achievement in getting their lean bodies is not commonplace nor is the topic of getting lean while maintaining muscle mass easily covered in a few paragraphs. You say you eat clean, but you want to eat cleaner? Well, if you already eat clean, maybe the answer lies in how you eat in addition to what you eat. I will attempt to summarize my views on getting lean from my many readings on the topic and a lot of experimentation. While I have not yet achieved my weight and fat loss goal, I hope you feel that I am qualified to blog about the topic of getting lean; however, I welcome comments, other view points, or rebuttals to my viewpoints.

I believe that one’s approach to achieving a lean physique is vastly different as a teenager versus someone in their mid forties. This blog is focused on getting lean for those over forty. Also, genetics plays a large factor in fat loss. This blog is focused on assisting those that are Ecto Mesomorphs with some Endomorph characteristics. If you do not know what body type you are, you need to figure that out. I recommend the book “Burn the Fat, Feed
the Muscle” that well describes characteristics of the various body types and is also very good reading if you are serious about getting lean while building up muscle.

Body Types - Which One are You? The Ectomorph, the Mesomorph, the Endomorph, or a Combination?

The Ectomorph is a hard gainer, is naturally thin and does not gain fat easily, has a delicate
build, is typically flat chested, joints are small, limbs are long. I believe that the Ectomorph is “carb insensitive”. That is, Ectomorphs have a tendency to use carbs efficiently as energy instead of storing or converting into fat. The most famous Ectomorph is probably Brad Pitt. Since I naturally have many of these characteristics, I have done much tweaking to my diet and exercise program to overcome the shortfalls of being an Ectomorph.
But wait, before you leave this blog, because you do not have Ectomorph characteristics, stay tuned, because I will also be focusing on the Endomorph and Mesomorph side too. For brevity’s sake, the short description of the Endomorph is a soft, round body, difficult to lose weight; undeveloped muscles, gains fat easily, and is carb sensitive. The Mesomorph has an athletic build, wide shoulders, well-defined muscles, and large bones (the one that most men want).



OK, let’s get down to business. Through experimentation, with the knowledge about the various body types described above on hand (for which you now possess a summary of that knowledge) I will attempt to summarize my findings while providing a tool that you can use to conduct your own experiments on diet, nutrition, and getting lean.

Age Specific Experiments

- As we age, men begin to lose the testosterone levels and HGH they once had. These substances at their optimum levels help keep body fat down to optimum levels from the start without consideration to diet or exercise. If you do not see a nutritionist to test for these and vitamin levels (like vitamin D), you really need to. There are plenty of natural testosterone and HGH pre-cursors that can get you to the optimum level safely.
- As we age, the body tends to metabolize slower. This is where most people get

confused about the term “diet”. What many people do not understand when you “diet”, is that you need to eat more frequently, not less, to keep your metabolism at its peak. While being on a diet is often referred to as calorie restriction, the definition here is focused on the “what” and “how often” and not on calorie restriction. As we age, it is more important than ever to eat 5 to 6 meals evenly spaced throughout the day (about 1 gram of protein for
each pound of your lean weight per day). The frequent binging keeps the body revving and burning fat, while keeping your energy levels consistently high. This is one way to keep your metabolism high. Of course, the macro-nutrients (amount of protein, carbs, fat, & fiber) are important here. More on that later.

Body Type Specific Experiments

Ectomorphs tend to be able to eat lots of carbs or fat and not gain weight. I do not have this characteristic. I tend to have some Mesomorph characteristic here (believe it or not). That is, I have some carb sensitivity and have to pay particular attention on timing and quantity when consuming carbs. Consider the following experiments:
- Take most of your carbs in the morning and gradually lessen them for each subsequent meal throughout the day with no carbs after 5 pm. This seems to work great for me, as long as I do this in a 3 day cycle of low carb days, followed by 3 days of moderate carb days, followed by 3 high carb days. Without the cycling, my workouts tend
to weaken if I stay on low carbs, and my fat level tends to increase if I stay on high carbs. The cycling seems to spare muscle tissue while reducing fat storage.
- Replace your carb energy with fat energy. Yes, this is counterintuitive that you eat fat to lose fat, but remember, you are doing this in place of carbs. That being said, I have recently been doing this and the results are shown on my latest photo Jan 15, 2011. Now the problem here for me is that my workouts have been less energized due to glycogen
depletion in my muscle tissue. I also seem to be missing that fullness you want in your muscles. This approach has helped in the short run, but I’m considering abandoning the idea of low carbs for my cutting program. I am not enough of a Mesomorph to cut my carbs as much as I have.
- For each of the 5 to 6 meals, keep carbs moderate (about a palm size), protein high (at the rate mentioned above), and fiber high (veggies), with most of the carbs around the
workout. Do not leave out fat. I work out in the morning, so I leave out the fat on my pre and post workout meal. I then add my fats on my other meals. For me, my biggest mistake was thinking that I would get lean by working out on an empty stomach. Could not be more wrong about that. I need to have a full meal at least 1 hour before my workout consisting of waxy maze carbs (a very fast absorbed carb you should use) to energize your workout, no fat (fat slows down protein synthesis) which you don’t want before your workout, and a serving of protein. Note, you must take vitamins and larger than normal doses of vitamins if you work out hard. If you want to replenish your glycogen stores and protein at the quickest rate possible post workout, then again, leave the fat out of your post workout meal. Although I have provided several experiments above, this is the one that seems to work for me, an Ecto Mesomorph with some Endomorph characteristics.
- Ultimately, losing fat will require caloric restrictions. Here is the part of the word “diet” that I mean calorie restriction. The question is which experiment above works best for
you to keep your workouts energized. Once you figure that out, to lose fat you either need to increase your cardio, or decrease your calorie intake.
There is quite a bit more that can be said about diet, namely what to eat. However, I tried to focus on the not-so-obvious macronutrient composition of the 40+ body builder. Keep in mind that the basics are: understanding your body type and experimenting with the macro nutrients in a way that corresponds to that body type. You will then better understand your carb sensitivity and its’ affect on fat loss so that you can ultimately achieve that lean body you desire.

I liken your post. I started losing fat on Jan.5, 2011(186 lbs). Now I am at 166 lbs. By cutting my calories to 1500 per day ( 2 fruits-4 veg-2 protein, 5 to 6oz a serving-2 starches- 1 tbsp of light butter-1/2 tsp low sodium salt) pre day. No working out yet. Want to shed a few more pounds. How much more should I shed? What workouts should I start with? I will see a nutritionist to check my HGH, testosterone and levels soon.

[Verbalcody]

^ Eat more food. ANd I've never seen a dumber excuse not to work out

^^ Fascinating post! I seem to gain weight very rapidly but also lose it very rapidly i wonder what that makes me

[ronthorn1]

I liken your post. I started losing fat on Jan.5, 2011(186 lbs). Now I am at 166 lbs. By cutting my calories to 1500 per day ( 2 fruits-4 veg-2 protein, 5 to 6oz a serving-2 starches- 1 tbsp of light butter-1/2 tsp low sodium salt) pre day. No working out yet. Want to shed a few more pounds. How much more should I shed? What workouts should I start with? I will see a nutritionist to check my HGH, testosterone and levels soon.

Oh forgot to tell my body type- mesomorph

[sanman89]

Although there are plenty of lean body builders or fitness models on this site, their achievement in getting their lean bodies is not commonplace nor is the topic of getting lean while maintaining muscle mass easily covered in a few paragraphs. You say you eat clean, but you want to eat cleaner? Well, if you already eat clean, maybe the answer lies in how you eat in addition to what you eat. I will attempt to summarize my views on getting lean from my many readings on the topic and a lot of experimentation. While I have not yet achieved my weight and fat loss goal, I hope you feel that I am qualified to blog about the topic of getting lean; however, I welcome comments, other view points, or rebuttals to my viewpoints.

I believe that one’s approach to achieving a lean physique is vastly different as a teenager versus someone in their mid forties. This blog is focused on getting lean for those over forty. Also, genetics plays a large factor in fat loss. This blog is focused on assisting those that are Ecto Mesomorphs with some Endomorph characteristics. If you do not know what body type you are, you need to figure that out. I recommend the book “Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle” that well describes characteristics of the various body types and is also very good reading if you are serious about getting lean while building up muscle.

Body Types - Which One are You? The Ectomorph, the Mesomorph, the Endomorph, or a Combination?

The Ectomorph is a hard gainer, is naturally thin and does not gain fat easily, has a delicate build, is typically flat chested, joints are small, limbs are long. I believe that the Ectomorph is “carb insensitive”. That is, Ectomorphs have a tendency to use carbs efficiently as energy instead of storing or converting into fat. The most famous Ectomorph is probably Brad Pitt. Since I naturally have many of these characteristics, I have done much tweaking to my diet and exercise program to overcome the shortfalls of being an Ectomorph. But wait, before you leave this blog, because you do not have Ectomorph characteristics, stay tuned, because I will also be focusing on the Endomorph and Mesomorph side too. For brevity’s sake, the short description of the Endomorph is a soft, round body, difficult to lose weight; undeveloped muscles, gains fat easily, and is carb sensitive. The Mesomorph has an athletic build, wide shoulders, well-defined muscles, and large bones (the one that most men want).

OK, let’s get down to business. Through experimentation, with the knowledge about the various body types described above on hand (for which you now possess a summary of that knowledge) I will attempt to summarize my findings while providing a tool that you can use to conduct your own experiments on diet, nutrition, and getting lean.

Age Specific Experiments

- As we age, men begin to lose the testosterone levels and HGH they once had. These substances at their optimum levels help keep body fat down to optimum levels from the start without consideration to diet or exercise. If you do not see a nutritionist to test for these and vitamin levels (like vitamin D), you really need to. There are plenty of natural testosterone and HGH pre-cursors that can get you to the optimum level safely.
- As we age, the body tends to metabolize slower. This is where most people get confused about the term “diet”. What many people do not understand when you “diet”, is that you need to eat more frequently, not less, to keep your metabolism at its peak. While being on a diet is often referred to as calorie restriction, the definition here is focused on the “what” and “how often” and not on calorie restriction. As we age, it is more important than ever to eat 5 to 6 meals evenly spaced throughout the day (about 1 gram of protein for each pound of your lean weight per day). The frequent binging keeps the body revving and burning fat, while keeping your energy levels consistently high. This is one way to keep your metabolism high. Of course, the macro-nutrients (amount of protein, carbs, fat, & fiber) are important here. More on that later.

Body Type Specific Experiments

Ectomorphs tend to be able to eat lots of carbs or fat and not gain weight. I do not have this characteristic. I tend to have some Mesomorph characteristic here (believe it or not). That is, I have some carb sensitivity and have to pay particular attention on timing and quantity when consuming carbs. Consider the following experiments:
- Take most of your carbs in the morning and gradually lessen them for each subsequent meal throughout the day with no carbs after 5 pm. This seems to work great for me, as long as I do this in a 3 day cycle of low carb days, followed by 3 days of moderate carb days, followed by 3 high carb days. Without the cycling, my workouts tend to weaken if I stay on low carbs, and my fat level tends to increase if I stay on high carbs. The cycling seems to spare muscle tissue while reducing fat storage.
- Replace your carb energy with fat energy. Yes, this is counterintuitive that you eat fat to lose fat, but remember, you are doing this in place of carbs. That being said, I have recently been doing this and the results are shown on my latest photo Jan 15, 2011. Now the problem here for me is that my workouts have been less energized due to glycogen depletion in my muscle tissue. I also seem to be missing that fullness you want in your muscles. This approach has helped in the short run, but I’m considering abandoning the idea of low carbs for my cutting program. I am not enough of a Mesomorph to cut my carbs as much as I have.
- For each of the 5 to 6 meals, keep carbs moderate (about a palm size), protein high (at the rate mentioned above), and fiber high (veggies), with most of the carbs around the workout. Do not leave out fat. I work out in the morning, so I leave out the fat on my pre and post workout meal. I then add my fats on my other meals. For me, my biggest mistake was thinking that I would get lean by working out on an empty stomach. Could not be more wrong about that. I need to have a full meal at least 1 hour before my workout consisting of waxy maze carbs (a very fast absorbed carb you should use) to energize your workout, no fat (fat slows down protein synthesis) which you don’t want before your workout, and a serving of protein. Note, you must take vitamins and larger than normal doses of vitamins if you work out hard. If you want to replenish your glycogen stores and protein at the quickest rate possible post workout, then again, leave the fat out of your post workout meal. Although I have provided several experiments above, this is the one that seems to work for me, an Ecto Mesomorph with some Endomorph characteristics.
- Ultimately, losing fat will require caloric restrictions. Here is the part of the word “diet” that I mean calorie restriction. The question is which experiment above works best for you to keep your workouts energized. Once you figure that out, to lose fat you either need to increase your cardio, or decrease your calorie intake.
There is quite a bit more that can be said about diet, namely what to eat. However, I tried to focus on the not-so-obvious macronutrient composition of the 40+ body builder. Keep in mind that the basics are: understanding your body type and experimenting with the macro nutrients in a way that corresponds to that body type. You will then better understand your carb sensitivity and its’ affect on fat loss so that you can ultimately achieve that lean body you desire.

To tired to read all of it........but just learned in the last week how easy to lose my weight.....calories in -calories out = LOSE OF WEIGHT!!!!

[TroyGuy]

To tired to read all of it........but just learned in the last week how easy to lose my weight.....calories in -calories out = LOSE OF WEIGHT!!!!

Yes, that is true on calculating weight. But the key is how to lose fat, not weight. There is a big difference. Your calculation works for weight, however, my blog is focussed on maintaining muscle size while losing fat.

[TroyGuy]

I liken your post. I started losing fat on Jan.5, 2011(186 lbs). Now I am at 166 lbs. By cutting my calories to 1500 per day ( 2 fruits-4 veg-2 protein, 5 to 6oz a serving-2 starches- 1 tbsp of light butter-1/2 tsp low sodium salt) pre day. No working out yet. Want to shed a few more pounds. How much more should I shed? What workouts should I start with? I will see a nutritionist to check my HGH, testosterone and levels soon.

Remember, my blog is not about shedding pounds or weight, it is about losing fat. While your diet sounds good, if you are not working out, you are not maximizing your protein to fat ratio. Start working out with weights and that will help you lose the fat. If you begin to think your workouts are not energized, the read my post again as it is designed to energize your workouts thereby building muscle, keep your metabolism going, and shred fat all at the same time.

[TroyGuy]

^ Eat more food. ANd I've never seen a dumber excuse not to work out

^^ Fascinating post! I seem to gain weight very rapidly but also lose it very rapidly i wonder what that makes me

I guess that would depend on what type of weight you are gaining or losing. If you gain fat rapidly, or lose protein weight rapidly, I would guess you are an Endomorph. However, if you gain protein weight rapidly and lose fat weight rapidly, then I would guess that you are a Mesomorph. Get it?

[goochy187]

Although there are plenty of lean body builders or fitness models on this site, their achievement in getting their lean bodies is not commonplace nor is the topic of getting lean while maintaining muscle mass easily covered in a few paragraphs. You say you eat clean, but you want to eat cleaner? Well, if you already eat clean, maybe the answer lies in how you eat in addition to what you eat. I will attempt to summarize my views on getting lean from my many readings on the topic and a lot of experimentation. While I have not yet achieved my weight and fat loss goal, I hope you feel that I am qualified to blog about the topic of getting lean; however, I welcome comments, other view points, or rebuttals to my viewpoints.

I believe that one’s approach to achieving a lean physique is vastly different as a teenager versus someone in their mid forties. This blog is focused on getting lean for those over forty. Also, genetics plays a large factor in fat loss. This blog is focused on assisting those that are Ecto Mesomorphs with some Endomorph characteristics. If you do not know what body type you are, you need to figure that out. I recommend the book “Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle” that well describes characteristics of the various body types and is also very good reading if you are serious about getting lean while building up muscle.

Body Types - Which One are You? The Ectomorph, the Mesomorph, the Endomorph, or a Combination?

The Ectomorph is a hard gainer, is naturally thin and does not gain fat easily, has a delicate build, is typically flat chested, joints are small, limbs are long. I believe that the Ectomorph is “carb insensitive”. That is, Ectomorphs have a tendency to use carbs efficiently as energy instead of storing or converting into fat. The most famous Ectomorph is probably Brad Pitt. Since I naturally have many of these characteristics, I have done much tweaking to my diet and exercise program to overcome the shortfalls of being an Ectomorph. But wait, before you leave this blog, because you do not have Ectomorph characteristics, stay tuned, because I will also be focusing on the Endomorph and Mesomorph side too. For brevity’s sake, the short description of the Endomorph is a soft, round body, difficult to lose weight; undeveloped muscles, gains fat easily, and is carb sensitive. The Mesomorph has an athletic build, wide shoulders, well-defined muscles, and large bones (the one that most men want).

OK, let’s get down to business. Through experimentation, with the knowledge about the various body types described above on hand (for which you now possess a summary of that knowledge) I will attempt to summarize my findings while providing a tool that you can use to conduct your own experiments on diet, nutrition, and getting lean.

Age Specific Experiments

- As we age, men begin to lose the testosterone levels and HGH they once had. These substances at their optimum levels help keep body fat down to optimum levels from the start without consideration to diet or exercise. If you do not see a nutritionist to test for these and vitamin levels (like vitamin D), you really need to. There are plenty of natural testosterone and HGH pre-cursors that can get you to the optimum level safely.
- As we age, the body tends to metabolize slower. This is where most people get confused about the term “diet”. What many people do not understand when you “diet”, is that you need to eat more frequently, not less, to keep your metabolism at its peak. While being on a diet is often referred to as calorie restriction, the definition here is focused on the “what” and “how often” and not on calorie restriction. As we age, it is more important than ever to eat 5 to 6 meals evenly spaced throughout the day (about 1 gram of protein for each pound of your lean weight per day). The frequent binging keeps the body revving and burning fat, while keeping your energy levels consistently high. This is one way to keep your metabolism high. Of course, the macro-nutrients (amount of protein, carbs, fat, & fiber) are important here. More on that later.

Body Type Specific Experiments

Ectomorphs tend to be able to eat lots of carbs or fat and not gain weight. I do not have this characteristic. I tend to have some Mesomorph characteristic here (believe it or not). That is, I have some carb sensitivity and have to pay particular attention on timing and quantity when consuming carbs. Consider the following experiments:
- Take most of your carbs in the morning and gradually lessen them for each subsequent meal throughout the day with no carbs after 5 pm. This seems to work great for me, as long as I do this in a 3 day cycle of low carb days, followed by 3 days of moderate carb days, followed by 3 high carb days. Without the cycling, my workouts tend to weaken if I stay on low carbs, and my fat level tends to increase if I stay on high carbs. The cycling seems to spare muscle tissue while reducing fat storage.
- Replace your carb energy with fat energy. Yes, this is counterintuitive that you eat fat to lose fat, but remember, you are doing this in place of carbs. That being said, I have recently been doing this and the results are shown on my latest photo Jan 15, 2011. Now the problem here for me is that my workouts have been less energized due to glycogen depletion in my muscle tissue. I also seem to be missing that fullness you want in your muscles. This approach has helped in the short run, but I’m considering abandoning the idea of low carbs for my cutting program. I am not enough of a Mesomorph to cut my carbs as much as I have.
- For each of the 5 to 6 meals, keep carbs moderate (about a palm size), protein high (at the rate mentioned above), and fiber high (veggies), with most of the carbs around the workout. Do not leave out fat. I work out in the morning, so I leave out the fat on my pre and post workout meal. I then add my fats on my other meals. For me, my biggest mistake was thinking that I would get lean by working out on an empty stomach. Could not be more wrong about that. I need to have a full meal at least 1 hour before my workout consisting of waxy maze carbs (a very fast absorbed carb you should use) to energize your workout, no fat (fat slows down protein synthesis) which you don’t want before your workout, and a serving of protein. Note, you must take vitamins and larger than normal doses of vitamins if you work out hard. If you want to replenish your glycogen stores and protein at the quickest rate possible post workout, then again, leave the fat out of your post workout meal. Although I have provided several experiments above, this is the one that seems to work for me, an Ecto Mesomorph with some Endomorph characteristics.
- Ultimately, losing fat will require caloric restrictions. Here is the part of the word “diet” that I mean calorie restriction. The question is which experiment above works best for you to keep your workouts energized. Once you figure that out, to lose fat you either need to increase your cardio, or decrease your calorie intake.
There is quite a bit more that can be said about diet, namely what to eat. However, I tried to focus on the not-so-obvious macronutrient composition of the 40+ body builder. Keep in mind that the basics are: understanding your body type and experimenting with the macro nutrients in a way that corresponds to that body type. You will then better understand your carb sensitivity and its’ affect on fat loss so that you can ultimately achieve that lean body you desire.

very good post man!!!!!

[wazzu]

excellent post man!! I like your comment about the difference between losing weight or losing fat! I'm currently cutting so this has come at a great time.

Are you posting your daily nutrition anywhere?

[TroyGuy]

I have my daily nutrition oulined on a spreadsheet i can email to you. Let my know as I used it for pre-contest prep.

[wazzu]

I have my daily nutrition oulined on a spreadsheet i can email to you. Let my know as I used it for pre-contest prep.

great! I'll PM you my email address. thanks for sharing